Clitheroe FC Squad 1978

Ex-player Gordon Walker sends us this picture and story from his time at the Blues.

“Every week the pitch was frozen and we didn't play on it for about 10 weeks. Consequently we had a slump for a while after.”Gordon Walker

In our hunt for old CFC pictures, ex-Blue Gordon Walker emailed us this squad picture from 1978.

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"Here is a Clitheroe team photograph from 1978 when I played for Clitheroe. I transferred along with John Lawson, Steve Gray, Dave Hinksman and Wayne Haddock (not in picture) from Bacup Borough at the start of the season.

The manager was Jimmy Hinksman then later Ray Hobson. I moved away to live in Cornwall at the end of that season. I really enjoyed playing for Clitheroe and still have some of the newspaper cuttings from that time.

I do not know how many of those players are still around. I know that John Lawson was a local lad as was Dave Gillibrand. I have been in touch with Steve Gray in recent years. I know Keith Lord died a few years ago also as did Jimmy Hinksman.

Front L to R:
Keith Jones, Billy Staines (he was a former apprentice at either Rovers or Burnley), Trevor "Slim" Worrall, Dave Gillibrand, ? Daggers, Dave Hinksman. Mascot I do not know.

I seem to remember we got a fiver a game but had to train twice a week. We were near the top of the league up until November that season but there was a bad Winter and whilst we trained every week the pitch was frozen and we didn't play on it for about 10 weeks. Consequently we had a slump for a while after.

I remember we had Accrington Stanley in our league and they finished top, as well as Skelmersdale, Bacup, Bootle, Kirby Town, Leyland Motors, Padiham, Nelson, Maghull, Ford Motors etc. It was a really good league.

Myself I continued playing Saturday football until I was 50, then Vets until I was 54. Three cartilage operations and two total knee replacements later I still play a bit of walking football with people I used to play with down here in Cornwall.

Please say "Hello" to anyone who remembers me or give my e-mail address to any of the my team who are still around."

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A big thank you to Gordon for the picture, and if anybody can fill in the gaps let us know. And if you're in this team, know anyone in the squad, or just want to know more about the picture, Gordon's email address gordon.walker@sky.com.